# NTSB ERA15CA081: Bell 430, N430WH, Miami Gardens, FL, December 21, 2014 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: December 21, 2014, 12:45 local (17:45 UTC) - Place: Miami Gardens, FL - Coordinates: 25.959999, -80.23722 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=25.9600&lon=-80.2372&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 7 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 27, 2015 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 90531 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA15CA081 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/90531/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=90531 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA15CA081 ## Probable cause The pilot's misjudgment of his helicopter's position relative to a parked helicopter during a pedal turn. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Bell 430, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=1182150), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490) (defining event); cases with it: [Bell 430, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md?model=1182150), [All aircraft, 1,309 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the pilot, he made a "normal" approach to a helipad and subsequently hover-taxied to the parking area. Two other helicopters were parked on opposite sides of the parking area, and per existing procedures, the pilot hover-taxied his helicopter to the center of the parking area and commenced a pedal turn to align it with the others. About 90 degrees through the turn, a tail rotor blade from the pilot's helicopter impacted a main rotor blade tip on one of the parked helicopters, resulting in substantial damage to the tail rotor blade. The pilot subsequently completed the turn and landed without further incident. The pilot did not report any preexisting mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative According to the pilot, he flew a "normal" approach to the helicopter pad, then hover-taxied to the parking area. Two other helicopters were parked at the far edges on opposite sides of the parking area. Following a procedure that had been developed over the previous 10 years and executed over 20 times without incident, the pilot hover-taxied into the center position and began a pedal turn to align the helicopter with the others. About 90 degrees through the pedal turn, the tail rotor of the pilot's helicopter contacted a main rotor blade tip of one of the parked helicopters, resulting in substantial damage to a tail rotor blade. The pilot completed the pedal turn and landed uneventfully. The pilot did not report any preexisting mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N430WH](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N430WH), registered now, S/N 49114, built 2006 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BELL 430 - Registry model: [Bell 430](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-430) (registry code 1182150) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rolls-Royce 250-C40B](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rolls-royce-250-c40b) (registry code 54525, turbo-shaft) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 49114 - Year built: 2006 - Airframe hours: 871 - Engines: Rolls Royce 250C40B 850 horsepower turbo shaft; Rolls Royce 250C40B 850 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Executive/Corporate, Part 91 - Operator: Southern Aircraft Services Inc - Registered owner: Southern Aircraft Services Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Last inspection: Annual, August 6, 2014, 27 hours before - Departed: SUA, Stuart, FL - Destination: 0FD2, Miami Gardens, FL - Airport: 0FD2, Dolphin Stadium Helipad - Equipment: Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, Auto-pilot ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 55; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: helicopter, airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review October 29, 2014; seat: right; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 6,530 total, 450 in this make and model, 10 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 130° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 12,000 ft broken - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 63 °F - Altimeter: 30.07 inHg - Observed at: HWO, 3 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20141221023231A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20141221023231A), Dec 21, 2014: Bell 430, Miami Gardens, FL, Substantial damage. While hover taxiing helicopter (N430WH) to a parking pad the tail rotor made contact with the main rotor blade tip of an unoccupied parked helicopter (N155WH). ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 9, 2015, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=90531. 2.1 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 2.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40428936&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.